Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

40%RH is the level below which the problem occurs according to the research article. So at 45% we could assume that luthiers are not so affected. However, depending on the end use environment's RH I sometimes build as low as 35%. I also assume that most builders on this forum are working alone and n...

An interesting article about the potential health effects of dehumidification in buildings. I use a separate storage area which is dehumidified, ie an under bench storage area. I have often thought about draught proofing the whole workshop and dehumidifying the whole area. This is new research here ...

If South East Queensland is anything like North East Victoria, I would make sure that, during the renovation process, the building is both possum and rodent proof so that the walls are not used for housing these abominable creatures! Also, a bit of monitoring of the RH along with a game plan for hum...

Does anybody know the scientific name for the Ottways Satin Box? Also any data appreciated. Cheers! Ross

Thanks Nigel...most interesting...1.4mm???!!!! Woo hoo! Cheers! Ross

Yes, I've had a go at a few Selmeroids! They are not at all like x braced guitars to build or understand. The ladder bracing favours long dipole and tripole modes and suppresses the cross dipole and tripole for a start. The neck angle is a critical factor so that it gives around 18-19mm bridge heigh...

The original Selmer Maccaferri design featured the large soundhole, ie "Grande Bouche" along with an extra internal soundbox and reflector. This had the effect of having two air modes, one for each soundbox. However the internal soundboxes often rattled loose, so the simple solution was to remove th...

Does anyone have tips re mould in Hot Hide Glue?

I wish I could attend this festival!
https://www.archtopfestival.com/

An exquisite instrument indeed! Re the router/trimmer, my mistake, to clarify, the trimmer has a plunge router base attachment available which is very good. As I said, I got the base from England a few years ago.Cheers Ross

Well done Dave! I love the OM design, personally. The dreadnought guitars are over represented, although bassier but not as even in tone to my style of playing...you mentioned building in winter. Either way, the relative humidity is the issue really. Learn about humidity management. Welcome to the b...

Check out the way the old school Spanish construction methods work and are executed. My findings are to place the back in such a way that someone holding the instrument with a strap doesn't choke the lower bout with their body. There are high end US builders, eg Linda Mansell who has made instrument...

Looks great, Rod. I notice you have the best plunge router on the market in my opinion, as I use the same. The plunge router base is excellent and opens up lots of other possibilities, is stable too. Great for template routing and more stable for dovetail joints with template followers, which are ch...

Thanks Leigh! I recently explored the possibilities in the North East where I live, Mirrortone out of Albury was more costly than the Durobond nitro including freight to my home, which was almost as much as you would have paid. I also explored the Mirrortone health hazards and felt that the Nitro an...

Nice finish. Is that Mirortone or nitro?

oxalic acid Yes, of course!!! otherwise you're going to end up with a "ratty" sounding guitar Well, a recent build rattled due to a loose brace! Ha ha! I now check all brace gluing with a feeler guage prior to assembly. Rats love a warm environment in winter. Where I live there are many rats, in su...

I have had some winter rats find their way into my humidity controlled space and there is some disturbing staining from their urine on two completed soundboards and also on a couple of soundboards which need thicknessing, especially a lovely light (coloured) piece of Alpine spruce. The issue? Has an...

I made an aluminium thickness guage, but have concluded that a marine ply structure is way superior...the aluminium is extremely temperature sensitive and the guage jaws move with temperature, even from the body heat of hand contact. I would surmise that the Chinese aluminium thickness guages also m...

Make up a frame out of scrap to hold a large piece of shade cloth...errect in the prevailing wind and spray in the lee.
Cheers! Ross

I have a humidity controlled underbench cupboard. However running a dehumidifier uses electricity, about as much as an extra refrigerator and no one likes warm beer in this country! There is a broken down station wagon at my place and in the daytime the humidity is quite low inside...it can be used ...

I use Durobond nitro as mentioned in "The Books" by Trevor and Gerard. The idea of using the sanding sealer doesn't rock my boat because the sealers are a type of vinyl base and seem to me like they deaden the sound. So I apply the nitro straight to the soundboard, or perhaps with a layer of shellac...

I made this rosette using a few tricks...firstly ebonised pearwood, then I used gold MOP and Walnut. The Walnut is a lot softer than the MOP so I saturated the walnut with superglue to harden it up so that I could scrape the rosette flush. Another good trick I have used for restoration work is to u...

I made this rosette using a few tricks...firstly ebonised pearwood, then I used gold MOP and Walnut. The Walnut is a lot softer than the MOP so I saturated the walnut with superglue to harden it up so that I could scrape the rosette flush. Another good trick I have used for restoration work is to us...

Lovely! I just checked out some build pix and noticed your brace carving chisel..I have had one of these on my wish list for too long now, so what is a good brand to get?